Jordan Klepper took the Wednesday edition of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show on the road to his home state of Michigan into interview Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and applaud that “my home state is definitely not Florida” because Florida is “urinating on our democracy.”
Clearly a fan, Klepper hyped Michigan’s recent gun control laws, “There is a big hunting culture here in Michigan and you’re about to pass some big gun control measures here. What do you say to the gun owners here who still really, really want to kill deer?”
Whitmer touted the measures as “background checks and safe storage” which she claimed are not radical, “I mean, Indiana’s done this, Virginia has done this, I mean these are not wild, you know, changes, it's just simply trying to make people safer.”
Whether Michigan continues to more controversial measures is an open question, but Klepper did not press Whitmer on that. Instead, he talked about abortion and made the strange claim that other Democrats never talk about the issue, “Abortion is usually a topic Democrats run from, or at least making a centerpiece of their campaigns. You did. And you have taken bold action on that. Is that a recipe for national elections?”
On the contrary, Democrats won’t stop talking about it, as Whitmer argued “The Midwest is a great place to see that you can win on abortion. People expect to have these rights. We’ve had them for 50 years. We expect our kids to be able to make their own decisions about their bodies and their futures.”
After some footage of the duo working on filling a pothole as part of Whitmer’s “fix the damn roads” campaign, Keppler recalled in a voiceover that, “We fixed some potholes, drank some Oberons, and perhaps most importantly established that my home state is definitely not Florida.”
Whitmer then accused “other politicians,” by which she meant Ron DeSantis, of trying to “get headlines” by “picking a fight with Mickey Mouse, or moving backwards to the, you know, early 1900s, it's so much easier to show up and to listen to people and know what really matters.”
She also claimed “We’re trying to make Michigan a place where every business can thrive and every person has rights and freedoms to make their own decisions, and to live the life they want and be successful in Michigan.”
Klepper then used those comments to make a comment on the shape of the two states, “You’re progressive on guns, on abortion rights. It feels like the Michigan hand, it’s a welcoming hand.”
After Whitmer interjected to add, “It is. It is freedom,” Klepper continued, “It’s freedom. If Michigan is a hand, what is Florida? It looks like a – “
Whitmer refused to play along before finally answering “One peninsula,” to which Klepper added, “One peninsula that’s urinating on our democracy. At times.”
So much for that welcoming hand.
This segment was sponsored by Infiniti. Their contact information is linked.
Here is a transcript for the April 19 show:
Comedy Central The Daily Show
04/19/2023
11:16 PM ETJORDAN KLEPPER: There is a big hunting culture here in Michigan and you’re about to pass some big gun control measures here. What do you say to the gun owners here who still really, really want to kill deer?
WHITMER: You don't need fancy words, you don’t need any gimmicks, you can still hunt and enjoy and still be a lawful gun owner. Most gun owners believe that there should be background checks and safe storage. I mean, Indiana’s done this, Virginia has done this, I mean these are not wild, you know, changes, it's just simply trying to make people safer.
KLEPPER: I like how you say that. I mean, if Indiana can do it, we can do it.
WHITMER: I mean, right?
KLEPPER: Abortion is usually a topic Democrats run from, or at least making a centerpiece of their campaigns. You did. And you have taken bold action on that. Is that a recipe for national elections?
WHITMER: The Midwest is a great place to see that you can win on abortion. People expect to have these rights. We’ve had them for 50 years. We expect our kids to be able to make their own decisions about their bodies and their futures.
...
KLEPPER: We fixed some potholes, drank some Oberons, and perhaps most importantly established that my home state is definitely not Florida.
WHITMER: Other states are waging, kind of, wars against different, you know, parts of their population. I think a lot of politicians just want to pick fights and get headlines and whether it's picking a fight with Mickey Mouse, or moving backwards to the, you know, early 1900s, it's so much easier to show up and to listen to people and know what really matters. So, we’re trying to make Michigan a place where every business can thrive and every person has rights and freedoms to make their own decisions, and to live the life they want and be successful in Michigan.
KLEPPER: You’re progressive on guns, on abortion rights. It feels like the Michigan hand, it’s a welcoming hand.
WHITMER: It is. It is freedom.
KLEPPER: It’s freedom. If Michigan is a hand, what is Florida? It looks like a –
WHITMER: What?
KLEPPER: You know; it looks like a---
WHITMER: I don’t care. I’m not going there.
KLEPPER: I’m just saying. At it’s--
WHITMER: One peninsula.
KLEPPER: One peninsula that’s urinating on our democracy. At times.
WHITMER: Your words.
KLEPPER: My words. Fair.
